Department for Transport

European Rail Traffic Management System

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whetherthey are requiring all new-build passenger coaches to be equipped with compatible European Train Control System equipment to reduce the delays and costs of retrofitting.

baroness sugg: The Department for Transport’s current policy is to require that all newly-built rolling stock meet the industry standards either for full fitment or to be made ready for European Train Control System (ETCS) fitment. Full fitment is appropriate where trains will be operating over routes fitted with ETCS signalling. ‘Made ready’ is appropriate to reduce the delays and costs of retrofitting once a route has been identified as being part of a fully funded ETCS deployment plan. This ensures that, when fitted, the trains will have the latest version of software compatible with the infrastructure equipment being deployed and that costly upgrades to trains fitted with out-of-date software are avoided.

Railways: Leeds

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of proposals to increase the capacity of the railway line east of Leeds station by building two more tracks or in other ways.

baroness sugg: We are committed to improving journeys on the Transpennine route between Manchester, Leeds and York, bringing in state of the art trains, longer carriages and more frequent services for passengers by 2020. But we want to go further. We expect to spend around £3 billion to upgrade this key route as soon as possible. Improvements we are targeting include journey times of around 62 minutes between Manchester and York, as well as the ability to run more frequent and longer trains, and improvements to reliability. We are working with Network Rail and Rail North to determine the best way to achieve these major improvements for passengers, through a rolling programme of upgrades. To support this, Network Rail has now established options for infrastructure works that could deliver these improved journeys. We will now consider these before making further decisions later this year. The Government is also supporting the development of Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) which aims to improve connectivity between the main cities of the North, including Leeds. We are providing Transport for the North with £60 million of funding from the Transport Development Fund to develop the business case. Furthermore, In October the Chancellor announced £300 million of funding to futureproof HS2 to accommodate future NPR junctions. One of these junctions would directly enable enhanced services between Leeds and York.

Railways: North of England

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is (1) the process, and (2) the timetable, for taking decisions on the electrification of all or part of the railway line between Stalybridge and Leeds.

baroness sugg: Network Rail has now established options for infrastructure works that could deliver passenger improvements. We are considering these before making further decisions later this year. We are committed to improving journeys on the Transpennine route, bringing in state of the art trains, longer carriages and more frequent services for passengers.

Railways: North of England

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government which organisations are responsible for drawing up proposals for a new high-speed railway line between Leeds, Bradford and Manchester; and what is (1) the timetable, and (2) the budget, for that work.

baroness sugg: The Department for Transport and Transport for the North (TfN) are working in partnership to develop proposals for Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR), to improve connectivity between the main cities of the North, including between Manchester and Leeds. A range of proposals are being considered which will form the basis of the business case for NPR, which is due at the end of 2018. Throughout this work, TfN are engaging with Local Authority Partners across the North including the West Yorkshire Combined Authority. The Government is supporting TfN throughout this phase of the work with £60 million of funding from the Transport Development Fund.

M6

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to provide northbound access to the M6 motorway at Junction 31A.

baroness sugg: Her Majesty’s Government has no plans to introduce additional slip roads at Junction 31A of the M6. North facing slip roads here would introduce additional lane changing manoeuvres by vehicles on the short busy length of the M6 between Junctions 31A and 32. This represents an unacceptable risk to the road safety performance of the motorway.

Motorcycles: Delivery Services

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what health and safety requirements must be met by motor cycle delivery drivers.

baroness sugg: All persons who use our roads must comply with road traffic legislation and have a duty to comply with the rules in the Highway Code. Road traffic legislation includes the requirement that all drivers must hold an appropriate driving licence (holders of provisional motorcycle licences must complete compulsory basic training) and the obligation to provide documentation if required to do so by an officer of the law. All drivers using roads in the UK must also be in possession of third party insurance covering the use of that vehicle and all vehicles in the UK must also meet set roadworthiness standards, including in relation to emissions levels, at all times. Regulations 16 and 17 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and Rule 83 of the Highway Code states that an approved helmet must be worn on two wheeled motorcycles.

Kenilworth Station

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government on what date the refurbished Kenilworth Station will reopen; and why the opening has been deferred on several occasions.

baroness sugg: We are advised by Warwickshire County Council, who are responsible for the design and construction of the new station, and for setting the opening date, that the station will be opening shortly.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Developing Countries: Rule of Law

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, following their grant to Tunisia, they plan to provide support, either in the form offunding or professional help, to assist with (1) upholding the rule of law, (2) ensuring the independence of the judiciary, (3) due process in criminal investigations and the prosecution of suspects, and (4) the establishment of land registers and adequate title to properties, in post-conflict and developing states.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Strengthening justice systems around the world, particularly in developing countries and those affected by conflict, is essential to combating global poverty and addresses a root cause of instability, thereby building safer communities.The UK is providing over £10 million in programme support to Tunisia this financial year. We plan to deliver more next year. The rule of law and protection of human rights are central to that work. The Crown Prosecution Service has deployed a Criminal Justice Advisor to Tunis to help build the capacity of prosecutors, investigators and the judiciary. We also fund projects to help the Tunisian authorities translate commitments in their constitution into effective legislation. We are not currently funding work on property rights in Tunisia, though we recognise the importance of making progress in this area.

EU Countries: Diplomatic Service

baroness helic: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 20 February (HL5413),whether the Foreign and Commonwealth Office will receive additional funds from HM Treasury to offset the £4.2 million cost of creating 50 new diplomatic posts in Europe.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The 50 new diplomatic positions we have created in Europe are being funded through internal reprioritisation. Our revised estimate for the cost of these positions is £4.1 million. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has secured additional funding from HM Treasury for EU Exit preparations and with this funding we are now in the process of creating more than 150 additional positions in London and the overseas network to support EU Exit. At the 2017 Autumn Budget, HM Treasury made another £1.5 billion of funding available for EU Exit preparations in 2018/19. We are currently working with the Treasury to determine our allocation for 2018/19 with the aim to agree this soon. The Treasury has committed to informing Parliament of these allocations once they are made.

EU Countries: Diplomatic Service

baroness helic: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 20 February (HL5413), what arethe 50 new diplomatic posts being created in Europe, broken down by (1) country, (2) diplomatic post, (3) grade of post holder, and (4) whether the post is currently filled or vacant.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The 50 new diplomatic positions we have created in Europe are to support the EU Exit process and to strengthen bilateral relationships with our European partners as we prepare for life outside of the EU. These positions are being deployed to our missions in Athens, Belgrade, Berlin, Berne, Bratislava, Brussels, Bucharest, Budapest, Copenhagen, Dublin, Helsinki, Istanbul, Lisbon, Ljubljana, Luxembourg, Madrid, Oslo, Paris, Prague, Riga, Rome, Skopje, Sofia, Stockholm, Tallinn, The Hague, Tirana, Valletta, Vienna, Vilnius, Warsaw and Zagreb, as well as to the UK's Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels. Two positions are at SMS level, eight are at Band D level, and the remaining positions are at Band C level. These positions have been filled and all but two officers have now arrived at post. In addition to creating these new positions we have also upgraded 7 of our Ambassadors so that all of our Ambassadors in EU Member States are at the SMS level. We keep the size and structure of our diplomatic network under constant review to ensure it is appropriate for delivering UK objectives, and the number and grades of staff in particular locations may change over time as required.

Nabeel Rajab

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, furtherto the statement issued by the Minister for the Middle East on the sentencing of Nabeel Rajab on 21 February, whether they consider the case and sentencing a breach of Mr Rajab’s freedom of expression; and, if so, whether they will call for his immediateand unconditional release.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: As the statement released on 21 February by the Minister for the Middle East (Mr Burt) made clear, we are concerned by the five year sentence handed to Mr Rajab, in addition to the two year sentence that he received in 2017. We have raised the case at the highest levels with the Government of Bahrain. We understand that Mr Rajab now has a right of appeal in this particular case and we will continue to closely monitor proceedings.We continue to encourage the Government of Bahrain to protect freedom of expression for all of its citizens, in line with its international obligations.

Nabeel Rajab

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, furtherto the statement issued by the Bahraini Embassy in the UK on the sentencing of Nabeel Rajab on 21 February, what is their response to the Embassy’s view that Mr Rajab’s cases "do not relate to political views or political expression".

lord ahmad of wimbledon: As the statement released on 21 February by the Minister for the Middle East (Mr Burt) made clear, we are concerned by the five year sentence handed to Mr Rajab, in addition to the two year sentence he received in 2017. We have raised the case at senior levels with the Government of Bahrain. We understand that Mr Rajab now has a right of appeal in this particular case and we will continue to closely monitor proceedings.We continue to encourage the Government of Bahrain to protect freedom of expression for all of its citizens, in line with its international obligations.

Bahrain: Politics and Government

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatrepresentations they have made to the government of Bahrain regarding the fairness of trials offemale pro-democracy activists on 21 February and the three-year prison sentences handed down by the Bahraini High Criminal Court.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We understand that the prison sentences relate to charges of harbouring wanted criminals and were given to six individuals. We understand that all six people have the right to appeal before the Court of Appeal and then the Court of Cassation. We will monitor proceedings.

Bahrain: Capital Punishment

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Bahrain regarding the decision of the Bahraini High Military Court of Appeals to uphold the death sentences issued to six civilians in December 2017 for planning to target Bahraini security forces;and what assessment they have made of the case and the Court’s decision to reject the appeal.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The United Kingdom is firmly opposed to the use of the death penalty. It is the Government's longstanding position to oppose capital sentences in all circumstances and countries. We continue to make this clear to the Government of Bahrain and have raised these particular cases at senior levels.We understand that those handed the death sentence in these cases now have a further right of appeal.

Gibraltar: Airports

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reports that the government of Spain is seeking joint management of the airport in Gibraltar after Brexit.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK and Gibraltar continue to support the 2006 Cordoba Agreement on Gibraltar Airport which already provides for its enhanced use to benefit communities in both Gibraltar and Spain. We believe that a thriving Gibraltar airport can help deliver shared prosperity for the wider region.

Salih Muslim

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use of a European Arrest Warrant by Turkey to arrest Salih Muslim.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We understand from reporting from Prague, where Mr Muslim was arrested on 24 February, that the arrest was made under a "red notice" submitted to the Czech authorities via Interpol by the Turkish government, rather than through a European Arrest Warrant. We note that Mr Muslim was released without charge on 27 February and is free to carry on his travels.

Syria: Armed Conflict

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what additional steps they have taken in the last six months to respond to the escalating violence in Syria.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK is gravely concerned by the escalation of airstrikes and violence in Syria, particularly in Eastern Ghouta and Idlib, which has exacerbated the already dire humanitarian situation. The UK joined our close partners in mobilising the Security Council to demand a ceasefire across the whole of Syria and the immediate delivery of emergency aid to all in need through UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2401. The resolution was unanimously adopted on 24 February. On 27 February, the Minister of State for Europe and the Americas, Sir Alan Duncan, met the Russian Ambassador to the UK, Alexander Yakovenko, to stress UK concern at the current situation in Syria, particularly the crisis in Eastern Ghouta. He urged Russia to use its influence to ensure the Syrian regime adhered to the ceasefire to allow rapid, unimpeded and sustained humanitarian access and non-conditional medical evacuations. On 5 March, the UN Human Rights Council passed a UK-led resolution on the human rights situation in Eastern Ghouta.Through our position on the UN Security Council and International Syria Support Group, the UK continues to urge all parties to engage in the UN-led Geneva process, as mandated by UNSCR 2254, whose aim is a national political settlement that would end the conflict. The UK is the third largest bilateral humanitarian donor to the Syrian crisis and has committed £2.46 billion to date. In addition, we have provided over £200 million through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund to support Syrians to help save lives, bolster civil society, counter extremism, promote human rights and accountability, and lay the foundations for a more peaceful future. This includes support to the White Helmets who have saved over 100,000 lives in the Syrian conflict. In December, we supported and lobbied for UNSCR 2393 which provides for humanitarian aid to be delivered cross-border into Syria. The UK will continue to use all diplomatic tools to work for a political settlement that ends the war and suffering, and provides stability for all Syrians and the wider region.

Colombia: Politics and Government

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the political situation in Colombia, following the government of Colombia’s announcement of the suspension of peace talks with the National Liberation Army.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: A temporary ceasefire between the Colombian Government and the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla group ended on 9 January. The ELN launched new attacks on 10 January, following which the Colombian Government decided to suspend negotiations in Quito. On 28 February, President Santos announced he was contemplating breaking peace talks with the ELN after five police officers were killed in a bomb attack on 26 February. It is clear that trust needs to be re-established before talks can resume.

Cabinet Office

Peers: Correspondence

lord marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to ensure that letters from Members addressed to ministers are sent straight to the Minister's Private Office and not to the general correspondence section of Departments.

lord young of cookham: Letters from members of parliament and peers are given priority over correspondence from the general public. Performance tables are published to show how promptly they reply.

Department of Health and Social Care

Social Services: Finance

lord porter of spalding: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord O'Shaughnessy on 31 January (HL5313), whether the funding that was set aside to implement the cap on care costs and other adult social care reforms will be released to local governmentimmediately following publication ofthe Social Care Green Paper; and when an announcement on changes to spending decisionsis expected.

lord o'shaughnessy: As stated in my earlier answer to Written Question HL5313, any decisions on funding will be set out in due course.

Vitamin D

baroness quin: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of proposals to restrict access to prescription-based vitamin D maintenance,whether they will undertake a study into how such proposals might affect at-risk groups, as set out in NICE Guidelines 56-2, and in particular those in the at-risk groups on low or fixed incomes.

lord o'shaughnessy: NHS England undertook a study into how the proposals in the consultation Conditions for which over the counter items should not routinely be prescribed in primary care: A Consultation on guidance for CCGs might affect at-risk groups by accompanying the consultation with a full Equality and Health Inequalities Impact Assessment. The Impact Assessment, Equality and Health Inequalities – Full Analysis Form – Conditions for which over the counter items should not routinely be prescribed in primary care sets out how the proposals may affect groups protected by the Equality Act 2010 and those people on low income and ethnic minorities, including those at-risk groups, as set out in National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines. Copies of the consultation and Impact Assessment are attached.In the summer months most people should be able to get all the vitamin D they need from sunlight on the skin. It is also found in some foods – oily fish, red meat, liver, egg yolks and fortified foods – such as most fat spreads and some breakfast cereals.The Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances states that vitamins and minerals should be prescribed only in the management of actual or potential vitamin or mineral deficiency, and are not to be prescribed as dietary supplements. We understand that NHS England’s current consultation is in line with this. Prescribing vitamin D for maintenance would be classed as a treatment for prevention or as a dietary supplement.



NHS England consultation on guidance for CCGs
(PDF Document, 589.82 KB)




Equality Impact Assessment
(PDF Document, 932.6 KB)

Department for International Development

Developing Countries: Sustainable Development

the earl of sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 12 February (HL5337), how the Department for International Development will monitor progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals in the poorest developing countries; and whether this will require any additional staff.

lord bates: Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals is reported through various means, including the UN’s SDG indicators website, https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/indicators/database/, which captures data reported to the UN by Member States under the global indicator framework for the 2030 Agenda. In addition, Member States are expected to complete voluntary national reviews of progress towards the Goals at least once in the period to 2030. The reviews are presented to the annual UN High Level Political Forum each July.We will continue to use these sources to monitor progress towards the SDGs by Least Developed Countries. We will not require additional staff to do so.

Developing Countries: Sustainable Development

the earl of sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to provide in-country training for government officials and others engaged in (1) monitoring theSustainable Development Goals, and(2) data collection, following United Nations guidelines; and to what extent the Commonwealth could provide this training.

lord bates: DFID provides a range of support and training to National Statistics Offices in developing countries to gather, analyse and use a wide range of information, including data relevant to the SDGs. For example, through the UN Statistics Department, we are supporting 20 developing countries to disseminate SDG data through National Reporting Platforms, including technical assistance and training. We are also funding such support through the World Bank, the IMF and UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.The UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) is also planning to host a meeting of Commonwealth heads of National Statistics Institutes (NSI) later this year. The ONS is proposing including in the agenda a focus on data gaps for global SDG indicators. This will build on publication on 19 March of a report on UK data gaps, including our initial Inclusive Data Action Plan.

Department for Education

Armed Forces: Cadets

lord de mauley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whetherOfsted recognises the contribution of an in-school cadet movement when reporting on its inspection of a school; and if so, how.

lord agnew of oulton: This is a matter for Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman. I have asked her to write to my noble Friend and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Ministry of Justice

Community Orders

lord swinfen: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether community service sentences may include picking up litter in (1) rural, and (2) urban, areas.

lord keen of elie: Where a court imposes an unpaid work requirement as part of a community sentence or suspended sentence order, the local Community Rehabilitation Company provides work placements in accordance with a range of criteria including: that the work benefits the local community;that the work undertaken is not a direct substitution for paid employment; andthe views of local people and community stakeholders such as the police are taken into account. Any proposal for unpaid work involving litter collection would have to be considered with reference to the requirements for unpaid work placements which form part of the service specifications and can be found at https://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/offenders/probation-instructions/pi_02_2010_unpaid_work_community_payback_service_specification.pdf.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Coastal Areas: Environment Protection

lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of calls from the Maritime Foundation for urgent action to institute measures to protect the UK's maritime littoral zone post-Brexit.

lord gardiner of kimble: The Marine Maritime Organisation [Defra] has made an assessment of the measures needed, from a fisheries perspective, to protect England’s Exclusive Economic Zone which includes the maritime littoral zone referenced by the Maritime Foundation.We are working with the Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities and the Marine Management Organisation, which together are responsible for enforcement in England’s Exclusive Economic Zone out to 200 nautical miles, as well as the Royal Navy, Border Force, and other organisations to make sure the appropriate arrangements to enforce fisheries regulations are in place to protect our waters when we leave the EU.

Special Protection Areas: Isles of Scilly

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what restrictions or changes to air and sea transport services are required on any operation within the Special Protection Area of the Isles of Scilly.

lord gardiner of kimble: The UK has a long history of environmental protection and we will safeguard and improve on this record. The Isles of Scilly Special Protection Area (SPA) was classified in 2001 under the EU Wild Birds Directive. Natural England is preparing advice to government on a proposed extension to the existing SPA and the addition of new features. Any plans or projects that are likely to have a significant effect on a SPA are subject to a Habitats Regulations Assessment by the relevant competent authorities in order to make sure that any potential impacts are avoided or mitigated. Where such impacts cannot be ruled out, planning proposals may nevertheless be approved provided certain tests are met: no feasible alternatives; imperative reasons of overriding public interest; and compensatory measures secured.

Meat: Animal Feed

baroness jones of moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government, what assessment they have made of (1) the safety of feeding food waste containing meat unsuitable for human consumption from all stages of the supply chain to omnivorous animals, and (2) the contribution that lifting restrictions on feeding such food waste to omnivores could make to food security when the UK leaves the EU.

lord gardiner of kimble: The EU-wide Animal By-Product (ABP) legislation bans the feeding of farmed animals with catering waste or feed material containing, or derived from catering waste. The purpose of the legislation is to reduce the risk of major exotic notifiable diseases in Member States of the EU, including the UK, through illegally imported meat and other products of animal origin. It can be argued that cooking to sufficient temperatures for a sufficient time period can kill viruses responsible for these diseases. However, experience has shown that the requirements for heat treatment and storage cannot be consistently guaranteed in certain environments such as commercial and household kitchens. It is already possible to feed certain food waste originating from food producers, manufacturers and retailers under the regulations, provided operators can demonstrate there are no prohibited animal by-products, which may present a risk of spreading diseases. Defra has looked at the evidence underpinning the ban and undertaken studies which have shown that a wider range of food waste could be safely fed to livestock if there was proper segregation of ABPs from other material but that non-segregated material still presented an unacceptable disease risk. The degree of risk associated with the former would be dependent on the specific method of production, distribution, and the effectiveness of risk management measures put in place. However, it is inherently difficult to sort catering waste to remove ABPs which could present a disease risk and it is unlikely to be economically viable for operators to comply with the controls that we would consider necessary to ensure protection of livestock from serious diseases. Given that it is unlikely that operators would pursue this activity, Defra has not assessed any likely impacts on food security.

Hedgehogs: Conservation

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to preventfurther decline in hedgehog numbers, particularly in rural areas.

lord gardiner of kimble: The Government is taking action to support the hedgehog. Our 25 Year Environment Plan is committed to creating or restoring 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat outside the protected site network, focusing on priority habitats as part of a wider set of land management changes providing extensive benefits for species such as the hedgehog. Agri-environment schemes such as Countryside Stewardship provide funding to restore, extend and link important habitats and boost food resources for a range of species including hedgehogs. Over 100,000 hectares of new priority habitat have been created since 2011. The scheme’s Wild Pollinators and Farm Wildlife Package funds specific management focused on improving farmland biodiversity across most farming systems. The management options for grassland, the conservation and enhancement of hedgerows and the creation and maintenance of field margins will help to provide suitable habitat for a range of species including hedgehogs. In addition we recognise and support the work being undertaken by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society and the People’s Trust for Endangered Species, such as the Hedgehog Street campaign and the 10 year hedgehog strategy. Natural England is taking action that seeks to address some of the objectives of the 10 year strategy through actions identified in the work of the Species Taxon Action Groups, which underpins Biodiversity 2020.

Fisheries

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to the future of the fishing industry in upcoming negotiations with the EU.

lord gardiner of kimble: Leaving the EU provides an opportunity through negotiations with the EU and coastal states and through domestic reform, to develop arrangements for fishing that can create a more financially self-sufficient, profitable and responsive seafood sector, as well as delivering a cleaner, healthier and more productive marine environment. We will publish a fisheries White Paper shortly before the introduction of the Fisheries Bill. As well as preparing for the Fisheries Bill, it will set out our medium term vision for sustainable fisheries management.

Home Office

Police: Firearms

lord hogan-howe: To ask Her Majesty's Government what considerationthey have given to the outcome of the review into the use of guns bypolice officers in the UK, initiated by the then Prime Minister David Cameron on 20 December 2015.

baroness williams of trafford: It is important that firearms officers are supported to make the difficult decisions necessary to protect the public, and are able to carry out their duties without fearing that a justified use of force will damage their careers. It is also essential that decisions by the police to use force of any kind are subject to proper scrutiny.This is why the former Home Secretary commissioned officials to review the legal and procedural framework governing police use of firearms and post-incident investigation. The review is ongoing.

Undocumented Migrants: Greece

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Williams of Trafford on 26 February (HL5626), how many (1) British personnel, and (2) non-British persons employed by HM Government and British agencies, including interpreters, are now working in Greece for the purposes set out in that Answer; and how many of those personnelare regularly present in the Aegean islands.

baroness williams of trafford: Further to the response to written question HL5626, between May 2016 and March 2017 the Home Office provided 115 experts to the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) in Greece, primarily to support implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement. The exact number of UK staff deployed at any given time varies but since March 2017 we have continued to provide expert support to Greece in line with the particular needs identified by EASO. Our experts work on the Greek islands to interview arriving migrants, act as interpreters, advise on information provision and flow management and support coordination through the EU Commission team in Athens.The majority of the interpreters are deployed via EASO on a needs basis but following a recent urgent bilateral request from the Greek government, the Home Office has also provided additional interpreters to help process migrant arrivals on the island hotspots.We also have a Border Force cutter, HMC Valiant, based in the Aegean and provide debriefers, screeners and interpreters to support the Hellenic Coastguard and Frontex Operation Poseidon and tackle Organised Immigration Crime.

Refugees: Syria

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many of the 20,000 refugees that the UK pledged to receive from Syria by 2020 have arrived.

baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office is committed to publishing data in an orderly way as part of the regular quarterly Immigration Statistics, in line with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics. Latest statistics published on 22 February confirmed that a total of 10,538 vulnerable people have been resettled under the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS) since the start of the scheme.The statistics are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release.

Asylum: North of England

the lord bishop of durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how manybedrooms in accommodation allocated to asylum seekers in (1) the North East of England, and (2) Yorkshire, under Home Office COMPASS contracts, are shared by two or more unrelated individuals; and what proportion of the total number of bedrooms available in those areas that figure represents.

the lord bishop of durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how are "vulnerable people" defined when allocating shared bedrooms to unrelated asylum seekers under Home Office COMPASS contracts.

baroness williams of trafford: Asylum accommodation Providers are contractually required to take account of any particular circumstances and vulnerability of those that they accommodate to ensure that destitute asylum seekers are housed safely and securely. Such an assessment is made on a case-by-case basis depending on the specific needs of that individual. There are strict criteria set out in the contract around when room sharing can take place and who can share a room. Providers must also comply with local regulations including advice from social services and primary and secondary care bodies on whether room sharing is inappropriate.The use of individual properties across provider’s portfolios changes daily subject to demand. Information on the current number of bedrooms shared between unrelated individuals could only be provided at disproportionate cost by examination of individual provider property records.

Arrest Warrants: Turkey

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have received evidence showing that Turkey has used Interpol or Europol notices to harass politically active Turks and non-Turks whohave no connection to crimes or terrorism.

baroness williams of trafford: Interpol has an independent review body, the Commission for the Control of Files, which seeks to ensure that the processing of personal information by Interpol is in compliance with the Interpol’s regulations. This minimises scope for abuse of Interpol procedures, and we are not aware of successful abuse of Interpol procedures that are outside of the organisation’s framework by any member country.Whilst Turkey has a strategic cooperation agreement with Europol, the agreement does not authorise the transmission of data related to an identified individual or identifiable individuals. Turkey therefore does not have access to any personal data held by Europol.

Marcos Amaral Gourgel

lord marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government why the Portuguese citizen, Marcos Amaral Gourgel, who died in Westminster Underground station on 14 February and who had been deported from the UK after his release from serving a custodial sentence for child sex offences, was able on two occasions to re-enter the UK.

baroness williams of trafford: We do not routinely comment on individual cases.We conduct border security checks on all passengers arriving in the UK at passport control. Where we are aware of individuals who pose a risk, Border Force officers can - and do - refuse them entry.

Islamic State: British Nationals Abroad

lord marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many British citizens who travelled to the Middle East to join the armed forces of the Islamic State are known to have returned to the UK; and how many of those are currently held in custody in the UK.

baroness williams of trafford: Approximately 400 UK-linked individuals of security concern have returned from the conflict in Syria. While it would not be appropriate to provide a breakdown of the investigation status of returners, a significant proportion of the individuals who have already returned have been assessed as posing little or no national security concern.The Home Office Statistical Bulletin publishes data about convictions quarterly but does not distinguish those which relate to Syria and Daesh. People who are investigated and charged with offences relating to the conflict in Syria and Iraq are prosecuted in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors.Although official figures do not show how many were Syria or Daesh related, of the 97 persons charged with a terrorism-related offence in the year ending September 2017, 30 had been prosecuted (as at the time of data provision to the Home Office, 6 November 2017), 30 of which were found guilty. A further 65 were awaiting prosecution.

Immigration Controls

lord marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they routinely inform the government of the Republic of Ireland of the details of all persons who have been deported from the UK or who are subject to exclusion orders from the UK.

baroness williams of trafford: The Common Travel Area (CTA) is a special border-free zone encompassing the UK, Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. To protect this arrangement there is a high level of collaboration between the UK and Ireland to strengthen the external border of the CTA.A joint programme of work includes the sharing and use of data to inform immigration and border security decisions, as well as the sharing of information to increase understanding of respective border arrangements.To protect the UK’s border operations and CTA arrangements, the UK does not provide detailed information on the data shared with Ireland to help protect the CTA.

Muslim Council of Britain

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 9 February (HL5196), what were the names of those members of the Muslim Council of Britain who met most recently with Home Office officials; whether that meeting was approved by a minister in advance; and if so, by which minister.

baroness williams of trafford: The Government has been clear through its work to tackle extremism and prevent people from becoming radicalised, the Government meets with a wide range of organisations. These organisations must be prepared to show leadership, point to solutions and challenge and confront extremist and terrorist ideologies and narratives whatever form they take.The Government will not provide a running commentary on the private meetings it holds.

Asylum: LGBT People

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action theyintend totake to protect LGBTI asylum seekers facing discrimination and violence in asylum accommodation managed by private companies on behalf of the Home Office.

baroness williams of trafford: Housing providers are contractually required to take account of any particular circumstances and vulnerabilities of those that they accommodate, including sexual orientation or gender identity. The Home Office and our accommodation providers take complaints extremely seriously and have robust procedures in place to inspect, investigate and resolve any complaints raised, where specific information is provided.We urgently investigate any complaints we receive where standards have fallen short of what we would expect. When there is clear evidence of this we work with our providers to ensure issues are quickly addressed and when they are not, we can and do impose sanctions.

HM Treasury

Tax Yields

lord inglewood: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made on the effect on tax revenues of a one per cent (1) increase, and (2) decrease, in GNP.

lord bates: The effect of changes in total economic output on tax revenues will depend upon the composition of any aggregate change, since the underlying tax bases (earnings, profits, consumption and so on) will be affected in different ways by different components of total output. For this reason, the Government does not hold a single estimate of the effects that changes to GNP (Gross National Product) would have on tax revenues. The Office for Budget Responsibility publishes tax and spending ready reckoners. These ready reckoners show how changes to components of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) would affect tax receipts, alongside the effects of other economic variables. For example, a one percent increase in employment in 2018-19 is expected to increase tax revenues by £2.7bn in that year.

Department for Exiting the European Union

UK Trade with EU

lord inglewood: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the statement byBaroness Evans of Bowes Park on 29 March 2017 (HL Deb, col 611), what is their definition of "frictionless trade".

lord callanan: We are seeking a bold and ambitious economic partnership that is of greater scope and ambition than any such existing agreement. We want to have the greatest possible tariff- and barrier-free trade with our European neighbours, as well as being able to negotiate our own trade agreements around the world. That means, for goods, we want a customs trading relationship and agreement on non-tariff barriers that enables as frictionless trade as possible between the UK and the EU. With regards to services trade, we will be seeking the broadest ever agreement that limits the number of barriers that could prevent UK firms from setting up in the EU and vice versa and avoids discrimination of each other's service providers. We also want to agree an appropriate labour mobility framework that enables UK and EU businesses and self-employed professionals to travel in order to provide services to clients in person. We want to ensure that UK companies have the maximum possible freedom to trade with and operate within European markets – and to let European businesses do the same in the UK.